Mom to 2 boys who will eat (almost) anything, new (evil step) "mom again" to a girl who will eat almost nothing......thereby the evil part. I've been cooking since I was probably 10, now trying to remember my most important lessons and pass them on, because even though she won't eat, she wants to learn how to cook. That's a good starting point. Other than that I'm a college educated person working in a field that has nothing to do with my education. When there is snow on the ground I get paid to ski, when there isn't,I renovate, garden or sew. When I'm not too dusty or pooped I love to serve up a very casual meal made in my one indulgence, an outdoor kitchen. Straight from the garden to the grill to the table and I never have to go inside. I love it, add friends and it's even better. Anything on the BBQ or a campfire. My family cooking traditions.............hmmmmm........ they taught me lots but that's way to formal for me. The family I grew up in is all about proper china and silverware and cystal glasses, and really good food. The family that I have is all about mingling and relaxing and sharing good times while something really good gets put together on the BBQ or a campfire. Doing an enire roast beef dinner on an open fire and 15 years later people are still asking me to do it again. Having enough leftovers from that to have my brother-in-law show me how to put together the most amazing stew even though we were out of most key ingredients. And...........my ribs, still have one kid who always orders ribs and has still not found a restaurant that serves them like Moms.....although there is one that is VERY close in Cochrane Ontario, of all places. oh m'gosh....where to start. I didn't get to doing a perfect roast on an open fire without having a few mishaps along the way. I don't bake,especially cookies. I have made more little black pucks than anyone, one of which actually took out an outdoor thermometer when I started pitching them into the back yard for the squirrels to eat. Apparently they are lethal when they get that hard. I once made homemade pretzels with my stepdaughter and to this day I still get reminded of how we made baked dog poop......because that is exactly what burnt pretzels look like. So I make a point of not baking anymore. Other than that, I can only say that the flops that I remember have more to do with the unexpected rather than cooking failures. Like when I decided to experiment on the BBQ with all sorts of BBQ'd fruit, only had 2 chicken breasts and a large potato for 2 of us ...and that's the night my son brings home his new girlfriend.